Category Archives: Twists and Braids

Sep7

Damage Control: Frizzy Hair

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In the last week or so, I’ve been asked a couple of times about products that I use to control frizz. To be honest, I’ve yet to find any “miracle” product that prevents my porous hair from frizzing when there is any significant humidity in the air … and I’ve tried a few!! Frizz and “swoll” hair are things that I’ve lived with my entire life. Shoot, frizz control was the reason I wanted a relaxer in the first place!! My hair would get so big and “cloud” like in humidity. I would see the other girls with their relaxed, flat, bone straight hair and that’s what I wanted. But, even when I finally got a relaxer at 13 (thanks mom for making us wait), my hair was like, “Girl, whatever.” So, in high school, I inevitably ended up in a French braid or ponytail. LOL! So, yeah, it’s just a fact of life.

Nowadays, I try to follow the “Moisture Rules” that say that well-moisturized hair will be less prone to absorb atmospheric humidity (for more on that, check out these posts on CurlyNikki.com: Curly Hair Tips for Spring & Summer Humidity and Maintaining Natural Hair in Humidity).

So, in general, these are the things that I incorporate into my regimen regularly to combat frizz:

  • Pre-poo with Vatika Oil or virgin coconut oil (penetrates into the cortex hair to help it retain moisture).
  • Incorporate a light protein treatment weekly (Aubrey GPB Conditioner or Joico K-Pak Revitaluxe) (helps fill in “chips” in the hair cuticle).
  • Deep condition weekly after every wash (penetrates surface of hair to moisturize it from within).
  • Rinse conditioners/deep conditioners with cool/cold water (“closes” the cuticle).
  • Henna every 4-8 weeks (functions like a “heavy” protein treatment by bonding to the keratin in hair to fill in “chips” in the cuticle).
  • Apply a leave-in conditioner weekly (moisturizer).
  • Use a gel to style (LOVING aloe vera gel right now, but also use Eco Styler Olive Oil Gel and ORS Lock & Twist gel with success) (seals the hair).
  • Seal the last few inches of hair with an oil like JBCO mixed with EVOO (keeps more moisture in hair and reduces the amount of moisture absorbed from outside air).
  • Wait for fall/winter. LOL!!! (Though I am a summer lover forever, lack of humidity is one of the very few things that make me look forward to cooler weather ;)).

But, to tell you the truth, frizz really doesn’t bother me much anymore. I LOVE big hair now and always wish my hair was bigger. The thing is, it’d be nice if I could have it big with some definition that lasted more than 2 hours. Also, I’d like it to be big UPWARDS instead of flat on the top and big at the bottom. LOL! But, so is life.

Anywho, the reason I started telling you guys all of this was just to share this little styling “trick” that I did to minimize the appearance of frizz. You see, the top layer of my hair is the most prone to frizz (I guess because that’s the area most exposed). But, when I lift that top layer, the under-layers of my hair still look great! Well, last week, I wore braids for a couple of days and then removed them for a braid-out. Within hours, the top of my hair frizzed entirely. So, at lunch time, I braided the front frizzy parts and secured them at the back of my head with a bobby pin. And, I was good to go!

avg_braidout_x2Easy, breezey, lemon squeezey!

Simple, effective, and Boho chic too ;)! You could also just twist or twirl the sides! Anywho, that’s it. Just wanted to share this quick styling tip for doing some frizz damage control!

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What do you do to fight frizz? Have you found an effective product/product combo and/or styling trick? Sharing is caring!!

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Aug26

Super Easy, Minimalist Braid-out

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I was going through my phone to delete some pics (I’m too embarrassed to admit how many pics I have and how many are selfies … but, let’s just say, too many :P), and came across this braid-out that I never posted here. The things that make this braid out notable for me are that I achieved it with minimal products and styling!!

Two Pocahontas-style braided ponytails have become my go to “style” since I started working out daily for my 365 Days of Fitness.

Told ya!

After pre-pooing, washing, detangling, and deep conditioning, I want to spend as little time styling my hair as possible. In addition, I like to keep my hair off my face and neck during my morning workouts. This keeps me cooler and prevents my hair from getting too sweaty (I sweat in my head, so my hair almost always gets wet to some extent. This is even with good sweatbands, which really just keep the sweat on my face from seeping into my front hairline). Finally, the style has been great for hot summer weekends. Throw on a hat or headband and I’m out the door!

Anywho, all this to say, I’ve been rocking these braids and the resultant braid-outs all summer. But, I was pleasantly surprised when I got the really great braid-out from the two braids and only two products!! These products are also regulars in my rotation: Kinky Curly Knot Today (KCKT) Leave-in Conditioner and my Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO) mix, which includes a little EVOO and a few EOs (can’t even remember what I threw in there). After washing:

  • Blotted hair with a tee-shirt so that it was damp, not dripping wet.
  • Applied enough KCKT to finger detangle hair in four sections, then combed through the sections with a shower brush to smooth the hair.
  • Parted hair down the middle with fingers and made a braid on each side, starting the bases of the braids behind my ears.
  • Applied a little JBCO mix to seal the last few inches of hair.

I wore my hair in the braids overnight, tying the top down with satin scarf. Then, I left the braids in for at least one full day (it usually takes one day to totally dry), and when I released the following day …. voilà.

2braid_braidout91082645_10201835697951901_1497702319_nAnd that’s all I have to say about that.

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Do you have a super easy, minimal products and tools required, go-to style? Spill so that others can benefit from your cleverness ;)!! And if it’s dual purpose, even better!!

Jan4

Transitioning Series: Protective Styling with Braid/Twist Extensions

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Michelle_HappilyEverNaturalby Michelle of Happily Ever Natural

Hey Naturalista’s!!! Transitioning? Don’t know what to do with your hair? Want something new? That will be low manipulation? Nothing is working for you? Ready to relax it? STOP RIGHT THERE IN YOUR TRACKS!! DON’T DO IT!!! Why not put your hair away for a few weeks so you don’t have to bother it? Protective styling is your answer!!!! Protective styling is any hairstyle that helps protect the hair from over-manipulation. Also, protective styles protect your hair from extreme weather, both hot and cold, and it prevents the hair from drying out. When you protective style, you are giving your hair a “break.” Many install a protective style so that they can go days, weeks, or a few months without having to do their hair!

My Instagram and Facebook have been blowing up with many naturalistas tucking their tresses away for the winter. So why not try a protective style? You don’t have to worry about your hair … why not, right? Here are a few protective styles that you can try on your hair. If you don’t want to try them yourself, you can always find a local salon that can do many of these styles.

1. Box Braids
Yes the old school box braids are back and in full effect. They are sooo super cute and easy to do as well.

Check out a tutorial here:

2. Senegalese Twists
I LOVE THIS LOOK … one day I am going to try these on myself :). Check out a tutorial on how to do these here:

3. Havana/ Marley Twists
Now I know all of you have probably watched my Marley twist video. LOL. I SOOO am doing my hair next week like this again, so I hope you all don’t get tired of seeing them. LOL! But here is my video on how to do the Marley twists.

4. Kinky Twists
The good old kinky twists :) are super cute. Here is a video on how to achieve kinky twists:

5. Afro Puffy Twists
LOVE THESE! If my hair was shorter, I would definitely get these in a bob kind of look!! SUPER CUTE!!!

6. Spring Twists
Now I first saw this style on a fellow Instgrammers post. These are super cute too!!!

7. Nubian Twists

Before you install remember to:

1.Wash and deep condition your hair.
2.Moisturize your hair.
3. Detangle your hair.
4. Oil your scalp.

IMPORTANT!!!!!!

Now… Just because your hair is in a protective style, don’t forget you still have to take care of your hair while it’s away. :)

Daily: You must still remember to moisturize your hair: daily and/or at night. You can use a water-based leave-in, such as Oyin Handmade Juices and Berries, to spritz your hair. Don’t oversaturate it because you don’t want your hair to frizz. Also remember to oil your scalp with coconut oil or the oil of your choice.

Night: Sleep with a satin bonnet or, if you hair can’t all fit in a bonnet, with a satin scarf or on a satin pillowcase. It is important!! You want to keep your protective style looking nice.

These styles can last probably up to 2 months. I wouldn’t suggest leaving them in for longer. Leaving protective styles in for a long time can cause damage. And we don’t want that!!

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Will you be protective styling soon? What are your plans?

Dec30

Flat Twist Success!!!

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I did it!!!! I finally did it! I think I finally figured out how to flat twist properly!! I wanted to try the Curly ‘Fro set that I previously shared here. But, I still had never been able to do a decent flat twist. Well, after completing two lackluster and incorrectly done flat-twists, I decided to check out PGneiicey’s Flat Twist-Out Tutorial again. Zyaran had shared it with me in the comments of a post back in June and I liked it because Shaniece does the twists so large that it is easier for me to see what she is doing.

via PGneiicey

So, I tried again and … “By Jove, I think she’s got it!!”

flattwist1

The twists in the middle and on the right were done first. The twist on the left was after watching Shaniece do it.

Well, I had to go back to the video several times as I did the first few twists, because I kept forgetting what to do. Finally, I realized that I needed to “pinch” hair from underneath the twist and add it to the hair that is about to go over the section to get the flat twist to look right.

Anywho, I’m so excited that I finally got this down that I had to share. Also, figured it might help someone else out who is struggling with flat-twisting. Remember, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, and try again!!”

Now, as to this Curly ‘Fro, we’ll see how many times I’ll have to try THIS before I get it right. Hopefully, the firs time’s the charm. Stay tuned, because I’ll be sharing the results regardless … the Good, the Bad OR the Ugly ;).

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What technique or style did you struggle with, but eventually learned or even mastered? What helped you figure out how to do it?

Nov29

Single Flat-Twisted Bun: My Turn!!

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I did it!! Remember this Single Flat-Twisted Bun Style Inspiration post from the other day? Well, my girl Rece of A Hair Story tried it after I text her a pic of it. Check out her results here. So pretty right?!?! So, I had to give it a whirl myself on Tuesday night !!

(I flipped my pic so that you could see the twist on the same side
as the inspiration photo.)

What do you think? It’s not perfect. I think I should have taken the flat twist further down the middle and then to the opposite side of my neck before making the twirly bun. But I didn’t think it was too bad for my first try, especially since I don’t really know how to flat twist well!! I would really love to try this on straight hair or a light blow-out! Anywho, here are a few other pics of my first attempt at the style!

And after taking these pics and posting a collage on IG … I proceeded to take it down and put it in a simple bun for bedtime!! LOL!!! I know ;)!! Anywho, the next morning I released the bun to do a little scalp massage with a hair thickening product that I’m trying (IF you follow me on FB, IG or Twitter, you probably already know what that is ;). If you don’t, you’ll have to wait until next week to discover what it is ;)). And this is what my hair looked like yesterday morning before I promptly and quickly bunned it with a hair fork for work, because I didn’t have time to try to do the style again!

 

 

I <3 ♥<3 ♥<3 ♥<3 big hair! Too bad I had to put it away! Actually, I can’t stand all this hair around my face during work. It’s too distracting. But, maybe this weekend she can come out and play ;)!

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So, have you tried any new styles lately? Are there any techniques that you are trying to master or learn?

Nov26

Single Flat-Twisted Bun

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How frickin’ pretty is this? And, it looks kind of simple! I think it’s a two strand flat twist that stops around the nape and the remaining hair is twirled and “folded” into a bun. So, I had saved this pic to share on IG when one of our Hairscapades Bunning Challenge ladies, @Chelle32675 , posted THIS pic!!

I was like, “Are you kidding me?!?!” How awesomely serendipitous is that?!! And guess what? It gets even better! She didn’t see the pic I was planning to share, she watched this YouTube tutorial!

via Beauty by Lee (aka liquidlinerlover)

One thing that you may have noticed is that the bun is rolled under the flat twist, outwards toward the ear in the first pic. In Chelle’s pic and the tutorial, it is coiled on the opposite side, inward and over the flat twist. The cool thing is that this is a style that can be modified and worn on different length hair! It may look slightly different when done on short versus medium length versus long hair, but it looks lovely on every lady, I think.

Now, if I would get off of this computer and hop in the shower to wash this mop, I might be able to set my hair in a braid-out so that I can try to do this bun tomorrow morning! Hmmm … that may be an aggressive timeline … maybe tomorrow night! lol ;)!

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What do you think of this “Twisted Bun?”

Oct23

Three Strand Twist-Out

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OMGAAAAAAAAWH!! Do you see the gorgeousness of this?!?! When I saw this pic on the Instagram page of @iameden_, my eyes bulged out of my head and my jaw dropped. When I saw that it was a three strand twist out, I had to immediately search for a video tutorial!! I found this great one on YouTube where yarn in three different colors is used to provide a strong visual of the technique. Embedding is disabled. So, to view the video, click here.

And for those of you thinking, “That would never work on my texture,” check out the results that knotty_girl achieved with a three strand twist-out on 3c (?) hair!

BEE.AY.YOU.tiful. Right?!?!

Yeah, think I’m gonna have to give the three strand twist a whirl soon!!

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Have you ever done 3 strand twists and/or a 3 strand twist-out? How did it work out for you? Any tricks of the trade to share?!?! Products, timing (wet, damp, dry?), technique?

Oct2

A Flat Twist-Out to Envy

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via Curls2Envy

Hello Ladies. I received my B.A.S.K. Palm Tapioca Deluxe Hair Cream earlier this week from the swap board on NaturallyCurly.com.

I was super anxious to try it out for some twists. This in not a review for the Palm Tapioca (one will come at a later date once I’ve played with it some more).

Products used for this look:

B.A.S.K. Palm Tapioca

Raw african shea butter

Shea Moisture Sheabutter Leave-in

Original Moxie Hair Bling

♥

First I washed and detangled my hair. I moisturized my hair with the B.A.S.K. Palm Tapioca. I then put my hair in 8 fat twists to air dry.

I waited for my hair to be 70% dry before taking the fat twists down so I can put the flat twists in.

I put in 12 flat twists in total: 3 in the front, 2 above each ear and 5 in the back.

I rewet my ends and sealed with some african shea butter.


Look how plump & shiny they are!

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I left my twist in for a total of 4 days.

Every other night I moisturized the twist with water and Shea Moisture’s Shea Butter Leave-in and tied down with a satin scarf.

How I wore my hair on Tuesday for school
♥

To take down the twists, I took a pea size amount of the Original Moxie Hair Bling and spread it in my hands first, then all over the twists to prevent frizz during the take down.


Not fluffed yet

I carefully fluffed and picked out the roots with a comb.

The end results are …. drum roll please …

I love it!

What I would’ve done different is:

1. Next time I will make sure to seal in the B.A.S.K. with a butter/oil.

2. Make sure that the part in the back for the twists is not directly in the middle. ( I have a cowlick right in the middle so a part right on it makes it look like a bald spot)

3. Not wait so long to take the twists down … maybe 2-3 days max.

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Once again, I’m reminded that I need to figure out how to two-strand flat twist!! Beautiful!

Do you get good results with two-strand flat twists and twist-outs? 

Sep18

“Fake It Til You Make It”

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Yesterday, you may have noticed this lovely little updo in the pictures that I shared from the One World, Many Naturals Natural Hair Expo. Well, of course when I saw it, I had to ask how it was done! The beautiful “model,” Brittany of Herbalocity, graciously obliged by providing me with the name of the YouTuber and video that inspired her style.

via ImmaDstarra

You’ll note that the inspiration style included a swoop. But Brittany advised me that she was in a rush that day, so she just did the twist, bun and kept it moving! And, it still turned out beautifully. Just goes to show that you can give you own twist out of creativity, serendipity urgency or necessity and still come away with beautiful results!!

Have you faked it until you made it or would you?

Aug22

Styling My Individual Braids

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I don’t believe I mentioned this here, but I’m going to the Curly Nikki Meet-Up in NYC this Thursday *Whoop-Whoop*!!! So, I decided to leave the braids I set on Sunday for a braid-out in until Thursday. I’m hopeful that I’ll get a defined set that holds through the night *fingers crossed*.

That being said, I had to figure out how to style my braids for work until then. As they are very scalpy and I set two braids at my crown to fall towards my face (for lift/volume when released and reversed) instead of directing them towards the back of my head, I didn’t feel comfortable wearing them down.

So, on Monday, I styled them in a French twists of sorts with the ends that were curled on perm rods “cascading” at my crown. I left the front two braids out to frame my face and accessorized the look with a black satin wire headband.

On Tuesday, I used synthetic braiding hair to make a long braid and form a big bun that I adorned with one of my DIY flower hair clips.

I was a little manipulation happy last week, so I’m glad to give my hair a break for a few days. So, I will leave this bun in for today too. This evening, I’ll release the bun to lightly mist my braids (which were very soft and moisturized by the way!) with some leave-in conditioner and seal with an oil. This should help eliminate any irregular bends from the braided bun. It should also help enhance the definition of the set and, hopefully, encourage a little shrinkage that will “pump up the volume.”

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So first, who else is going to the Curly Nikki NYC Meet-Up?!?! I’d love to meet some of you in person!!

Second, do you wear your natural or transitioning hair in individual braids? If so, how do you style them?